It’s always bittersweet when summer comes to an end. While the reprieve from the heat is appreciated, the coolness of the mornings are that stark reminder that winter is near.
For me, this means preparing my plants to come back inside for the winter. I live in Detroit, zone 6b, which means the outdoor season for houseplants is about 3-4 months. Never long enough.... I digress...
I start to watch the overnight temps now to make sure they don’t get too cold, but I am a serial procrastinator so they will probably stay out for another month. If it looks like a cool evening, like under 50°, I have a stash of old sheets, throws, and curtains that I use to cover things up.
In a couple of weeks I will begin treating them to get rid of any buggers that may have made their way into the soil, leaves, and crevices. I start with a soil drench using Sevin liquid concentrate following the measurements on the bottle. Then I spray the leaves down really well with the hose. I use a nozzle that has adjustable settings and use the firmest setting on the hose nozzle the plant can take to just knock off anything hiding. I do this about a week or so before I bring them in.
Once it’s time for the plants to come in, I first inspect the plant. Looking for any signs of pests or stress. I use a DIY spray made of castile soap, neem oil, Earth's Ally 3-in-1, and de-chlorinated water. This DIY mix is my Go-To spray for bringing anything inside, whether they have been out all summer or newly purchased plants. It's a great organic mixture. Just be sure your plants away from direct light until they dry. I remove any dead leaves, spray it down good, and take it inside to the basement.
Even if it’s a plant I normally keep with the rest of my collection, I still let it quarantine in the basement for a couple of weeks. Also, if I see any issues on any of them, they get quarantined in a lighted bin or in a separate room for treatment. If it’s bad, they can just stay their dusty ass outside, lol! Ok, I may take a cutting...
Most of the larger plants and succulents live in the basement under grow lights. Well, they actually aren't "grow lights", they're really just low cost shop lights. They are 6500k, LED, energy efficient, linkable, and easy to use. They get plugged into a programmable power strip, so that I don't need to worry about making sure to turn the lights on and off everyday. The basement is where the plants hang out for for like 6 months until it’s time to meet the sun again.
Now starts "Operation No Bald-Headed Plants", lol....
Let’s discuss how you get your plants ready to come back inside?
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